About
The following products are items that I have found helpful to encourage looking behavior in students with CVI. Level I products are often used with students who visually function in Phase I, Level II with students who visually function in Phase II, and Level III with students who visually function in Phase III. However, this is only a general rule as some Level I products can be used with students who visually function in Phase II and some level II products can be used with students who visually function in Phase III. There should be flexibility when determining the level product to use with individual students.
PLEASE NOTE: Websites, product developers and web stores very frequently change. If the link supplied does not work, use the name of the product to do a search on your own (best place is Amazon). I apologize in advance if the link does not work; I try my best to keep the links current, as time permits.
Also Note: Strategy to See is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Level I Products
Recommended products for students who visually function in Phase I on The CVI Range.
Level I (affiliate income)
I use these Puffer Balls on the end of a high powered flashlight. I cut a very small slash at one end of the Puffer Ball and stretch the hole so that the ball fits over the end of a 1,000 lumen flashlight. Use one of the flashlights recommended in the following photos to illuminate the Puffer Ball.
Level I (affiliate income)
Tactical Flashlight, Adjustable Focus, 3 Brightness Levels, 1600 Lumens
Use a high powered (1,000 lumen or greater) flashlight for SpotLIGHTing and for use with a Puffer Ball (use an X-Acto Knife and slice a small hole in a Puffer Ball and insert the end of the flashlight into the hole to illuminate the Puffer Ball). Similar, high lumen flashlights can be found at Costco in multi-packs.
Samgo LED Finger Red Lights (10 Pcs)
I buy these red finger lights by the 10 pack as they can be used for a variety of tasks. I often use them wrapped around the stem of a spoon to illuminate a spoon or stuffed inside of a balloon to illuminate the balloon when hung in my CVI Den.
Level I (affiliate income)
Red Team Spirit Light Up Pom Poms (Set of 12)
This is a really great red mylar pom pom. It has an LED light and you are able to change the batteries if needed. Because of it’s bright color, movement and reflective qualities, this target has long been a favorite for students who visually function in Phase I.
Level I (affiliate income)
UltraFire Mini Cree, 300 lumen Flashlight
This is a nice, high powered flashlight which uses only 1 AA battery. It packs a powerful 300 lumens and works well to SpotLIGHT small, near targets.
AKAStiq Wide Loop Fabric (Made in USA, Black, sold by the yard)
This new Veltex or AKAStiq Wide Loop Fabric is the next generation of Velcro Compatible fabrics. It works much better than headliner fabric and is not much more cost per yard of fabric. I have lately been sewing a wide strip of this on the front of a black apron. The apron helps to create a neutral background to make targets really pop, and by having the AKAStiq on the front, Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists can attach a visually enticing target and as they are working facing the student, the student then is encouraged to lift his/her head to use vision, at the same time therapy is being completed. I am also gluing a wide piece of this fabric inside and on the walls of my CVI Den. In this way, I am able to attach a visually enticing toy (which has some self adhesive “hook” Velcro attached to it) right on to the wall of the CVI Den. I have to admit, this stuff is much better than the headliner fabric noted above.
Level I (affiliate income)
Crazy Glow Doodle Dome Tent Toy
Since having an “occluder” (C. Roman-Lantzy) of some type is so important, to hide environmental visual clutter and to make the target really stand out when encouraging looking behavior in children who visually function in Phase I, I have found that using a “CVI Den” is extremely helpful. The next three products can all be used to create a CVI Den. See “CVI Den” under DIY Projects on my website for how to adapt it.
Note; this is often unavailable at Amazon. See my Home Page at the bottom – I try to give updates there on alternate places this can be found.
Level I (affiliate income)
This is the ultimate CVI Den. It is made to last, but quite a bit more expensive than the Crazy Glow Doodle Dome version. See “CVI Den” under DIY Projects on my website for how to modify and make this tent into a CVI Den.
Portable Pop Up Pod Dressing/Changing Tent + Carrying Bag
This is a nice alternative to the Crazy Glow Doodle Dome (CVI Den) noted above, although it is quite tall. It is bottomless, which makes it less ideal for students who are on their backs and their slight movement causes the target, such as a hanging Slinky, to move. However, bottomless is often great when a child is bed bound and you would like to lift a CVI Den onto the bed and suspend the target over the student. The modification of the tent into a CVI Den (see DIY section) will however need to altered. The lengths of elastic to hang targets on will need to be longer, more adjustable.
Level I (affiliate income)
LightAide Multi-Colored 224-LED Learning Board
This is a great product! When you have a hard time getting a visual response from a child, this product will generally elicit a response. I often use it in the CVI Den. One note of caution; the lights are very, very bright. There is a lens to reduce the brightness, however, there are a small portion of children with CVI who are somewhat light sensitive (photophobic). Watch for light sensitivity when using this product. NOTE: This product has been difficult to locate as of Winter of 2018. I will keep checking and update this site as I learn where you can order one.
Level I (affiliate income)
The Original Slinky Brand Plastic Slinky Jr
This is also a must for your Functional Vision Evaluation Kit of materials. It can be made in yellow or red or any other color available. I have used it alone, or SpotLIGHTed it as it slowly bounces up and down, and I have also attached it to a puck light (see how to make it in the DIY section of my website. The puck lights I like best are shown in the next Recommended Product and put together, creates an “illumi-spring”.
Level I (affiliate income)
LIGHT IT by Fulcrum 9 LED Wireless Anywhere Stick On Tap Light
Use one of these black puck lights to create an “illumi-spring”. See the DIY section on my website. These can also be found at some hardware stores.
Portable LED Tent Light
These are wonderful to use for the illumi-spring, because you can use a Sharpie marker in the same color as your Slinky Jr. and color the lens cap. Also, they have a hook so you can hang it inside of a CVI Den, or elsewhere. See http://www.youtube.com/strategytosee to learn how to make it, or specifically here:
Submersible Led Lights Battery Operated Spot Lights With Remote
I am really liking these new battery operated puck lights;
Submersible Led Lights Battery Operated Spot Lights With Remote Small Lamps Decorative Fish Bowl Light Remote Controlled Small Led Lights For Aquarium Vase Base Pond Wedding Halloween Party (4 Pack)
The reasons I like them are twofold; first, they are very bright. When you set it on red, the red lights are really a nice, bright red. Secondly, they can be dimmed. While it is great to have a nice, bright light to use with kids who are just beginning to use vision, you will want to gradually dim the light so that it is needed less and less, until no light is needed for consistent looking behavior. These battery operated lights have a remote control which allows you to gradually dim the light. I have purchased 3 packages of 4 lights in each package, and in one package, one light was a dud. I have attached/glued these on to the bottoms of translucent drinking glasses and translucent eating bowls. They really light up the cup and bowl.
Level I (affiliate income)
WDCS LED Gloves Party Light Show Gloves- 6 Light Flashing Modes
These black gloves with lighted finger tips work well with students who visually function in Phase I Remember to present them in front of a black backdrop (such as an APH Invisiboard) and wear a black long sleeved top, so that all that is seen is the moving fingertips.
Level I (affiliate income)
150 Light Outdoor Christmas LED Starlight Sphere, Red, 10’ Diameter
If your student or child likes red, this super bright red LED sphere is a great option.
Supreme Party & Novelties LED Sunglasses, Red
I have used these red, light up glasses to encourage looking behavior towards faces. Pop out the plastic lenses so your eyes show.
LED Lightup Balloons, Pack of 30, 3 Light Modes
These balloons work really well with students who visually function in Phase I, especially if the room lights are dimmed or if the student is in a CVI Den (see above). They have a small switch which operates 3 LED MODES: Fast Blinking, Slow Blinking, Steady Light, & OFF. Since I use these balloons with many students, I don’t blow them up and knot the end; I blow them up and use a black clothes pin (you can spray paint flat black paint on wooden clothes pins) to clip the end and then wind the stretchy part around and around, then clip again. This allows me to deflate the balloon after use. The colors are assorted but I especially like the red and the yellow.
Level I (affiliate income)
Tadpoles Wood Grain Playmat Set
Using Invisiboards, black Trifold Boards, All-In-One Boards, photography backdrops (as shown above) and use of black king sized sheets are all ways to create a clutter free background to present a single colored target in front of. Using black, foam interlocking pieces to create a large mat is a great alternative to tossing down a black sheet, which may shift and bunch up as a little one begins to move. The Tadpoles Wood Grain Playmat Set, in black, has been used by parents of children with CVI and found to work well.
Level II Products
Recommended products for students who visually function in Phase II on The CVI Range.
Level II (affiliate income)
Boon Squirt Silicone Baby Food Dispensing Spoon , Orange
Use this Boon spoon in conjunction with a red, mini Cree LED Flashlight, noted below. Simply unscrew the orange base, turn on the high powered Cree light and place it inside of the base. Screw back on the spoon tip. The spoon will be lit up, making it easier for the student to visually locate and anticipate when the food is approaching. NOTE: you can not put pureed food inside the base once you modify it with the flashlight!
Level II (affiliate income)
AR happy online 3 Pack SK-68 Handheld Mini Cree Q5 LED Flashlight Torch
Use this flashlight along with the Boon Squirt Silicone spoon, noted above, to help a child with CVI alert more consistently and quickly to food approaching on a spoon.
Level II (affiliate income)
This is an alternative spoon that can be used, which lights up blue. Occasional, they are also available in red.
Snug Suction Bowl and Spoon for Baby / Toddler
I like the suction quality of this bowl so that I can attach it to an APH slanted All In One Board, and place it in the student’s best field of view. Often, children with CVI have difficulty locating targets in their lower visual field. When this bowl is raised, on a slant board, often students are better able to locate it and the food it in. Remember, you can SpotLIGHT the bowl with one of the flashlights noted above as well. In addition, use one of the Light Up LED Mouthpieces, attached to the bottom of the bowl with Blue Tac, to create a blinking bowl. (See instructions for illumi-Bowl under my DIY Projects).
Light Up LED Flashing Mouthpiece (1 dozen)
I use these light up LED waterproof lights primarily with bowls and cups. I cut off the sides (where your teeth are supposed to clamp down) with an X-acto knife then use Blue Tac to attach them where needed, like with the yellow bowl noted above. (See instructions for illumi-Bowl under my DIY Projects)
Level II (affiliate income)
Silicone Sippy Cup Lids for Kids and Toddlers – Leak and Spill-Proof – Food Grade Silicone BPA Free- Set of 4
These cup lids are a really nice, highly saturated “POP” of color to add to the top of a drinking cup. The red is really red and the yellow is very bright. They help to make the drinking cup stand out.
Level II (affiliate income)
Neat Solutions Sili-Stick Table Topper, Red
This Table Topper draws visual attention and often partially or completely blocks background “visual clutter” from being seen. Since it is a solid color, it can make the target (finger foods) really “Pop” or stand out (that is, as long as the finger foods aren’t red!).
Level II (affiliate income)
Level II (affiliate income)
Slap Can Koozie Black dotted pattern Insulator Cooler
Make a Koozie with red, mylar like fabric using this slap can Koozie. This can be placed around a bottle or drinking cup and will make the bottle/cup really stand out, particularly if it is spotlighted with one of the above high lumen flashlights. See the DIY section on my website for instruction on how to make this CVI-friendly slap can Koozie.
Level II (affiliate income)
Alternate “Koozie” to put around a cup or bottle to gain attention (visual and tactile)
Level II (affiliate income)
Mat Board Center, Pack of 25 Foam Core Backing Boards 3/16″ (11×14, Black)
I am more frequently making my books using these 11 X 14 black, foam core backing boards, along with Gorilla brand duct tape for the connections and binding. I generally make books with 4 pages in a book and do not use the backside of a page. The reason I like using these for pages is because they don’t bend or rip. Children who have motor challenges are more easily able to help with page turning and are able to reach out and touch pictures and objects mounted on the pages without risk of damage. See the Literacy section for more information.
Level II (affiliate income)
12″ x 10 ft Roll of Matte Oracal 631 Black Repositionable Adhesive-Backed Vinyl for Craft Cutters, Punches and Vinyl Sign Cutters by VinylXSticker
This re-positionable black vinyl can be used in a variety of ways; to put up on a wall on one side of a changing table to help create contrast for a target that the child can look at during changing time, to place over a distracting mirror or to temporarily cover a table of an odd color or colors. Most recently, I used it to cover the underside of a clear, acrylic tray that was mounted on the front of a student’s wheelchair. Since it was see-through, when a visual target was placed on his tray, the complexity in the array was simply too much for him. With the re-positionable vinyl placed on the underside of his tray, the tray itself was black and still washable. It created a nice work area for materials to been looked at and interacted with.
Level III Products
Recommended products for students who visually function in Phase III on The CVI Range.
Level III (affiliate income)
Pacific Play Tents “Tickle-Me” 6′ Tunnel – Black
For mobility, this crawling tunnel often works well. You can hang a favorite toy at the end (use a black, contrasting background at the end of the tunnel, like an Invisiboard) so that the toy will stand out.
Cosco Backlit LED Message Board Dry Erase Countertop Sign
I have used this back lit LED board when working on literacy. Students love to write on it as well.
Level III (affiliate income)
Although color photographs of familiar, favorite items are easiest for a child to begin to interpret in middle Phase II (when learning to identify 2D representations), I have had success using this product when working on literacy with students in high Phase III. It uses black and white line drawings which are very simple with limited, “drawing clutter”. Please note that generally, black and white line drawings are difficult to interpret for children with CVI, but of the programs available, this one has worked well for me (for students in high Phase III). The font is relatively simple and the print is large, which makes it easy to highlight (or outline) when showing salient features of whole words (shapes).
I have used this light up orange safety cone in a preschool classroom setting where the children moved from one activity area to the next. We simply moved the lighted cone to the next station and encouraged our student to look for it, then move there. The lights that illuminated the main cone is not very bright so I used one of my 1,000 lumen flashlights inside of it.
GBC ProClick Presentation Back Cover, 8.5 x 11 Inches, 25 per Pack
I use these black covers to create custom made books. Use the back side which is less glossy than the front side.
Level III (affiliate income)
GBC ProClick Easy Edit Spines, 5/16-Inch, Black, 45-Sheet Capacity, 25 Per Box
These are the spines to use with the ProClick covers noted above.
The Happy Little Yellow Box: A Pop-Up Book of Opposites
This is a great CVI Friendly book for little ones. I have made 3D yellow boxes to be used, along with the book when I read it. In addition, I have adapted this book into a simpler version, with less visual clutter to use before I present this book to the student.
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